All or Nothing
by EverFLIE
Summary: "The one" People say you'll know it when you find it. The person you're supposed to spend the rest of your life with. But what will you do if you do find "the one" but you already promised yourself to someone else?
1. A Spark

**Author's Note:** So I suppose, I quite like writing fanfics set in alternate universes. This one is a Rurouni Kenshin fic! Yay! Anyway, the show is set during the early Meiji period in Japan. This story shall be set in 2010. Yay. Characters are not my own.

CHAPTER 1

A Spark

"_The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction, both are transformed."_

"So cute!"

"You are so lucky!"

"It's so pretty!"

The nurses and other medical student trainees gathered around Megumi's left ring finger, cooing at the gorgeous canary diamond engagement ring perched primly on it. Megumi stared at the ring wistfully. Being engaged wasn't the titillating experience movies, songs, and books said it would be. From the moment she first accepted Aoshi Shinomori's date offer, she knew they would end up where they were. Aoshi came from a good family, was a respectable man. He offered her security and a comfortable life. Megumi's family approved of him and even was quite fond of him. Megumi couldn't find a reason not to accept his proposal.

"I can't believe you're engaged!" one nurse squealed. "When's the wedding?"

"In the spring," Megumi answered tactfully

"You're so lucky!" another gushed. "Dr. Shinomori is so handsome, I could just die!"

The others giggled in agreement. Megumi grinned at the other girls. He couldn't blame them for being enamored by Aoshi. He had the persona of the cool prince down perfectly and had all the young nurses and trainees in the hospital swooning. Just his cool gaze was enough to send them reeling. Megumi had been amused. Who knew what Aoshi thought of his admirers? She never talked about it with him and he never raised the issue.

An elderly doctor, Dr. Genzai, walked into the room and cleared his throat. The nurses and trainees dispersed. The good doctor shook his head.

"Megumi," he said as Megumi looked up at him, "there's a patient waiting in Exam Room 7. Why don't you take this one? Get me if it's something you haven't seen before."

"Yes sir," Megumi answered, accepting the clipboard of the patient's records Dr. Genzai handed her.

Megumi only had a few months left in her training. At the end of the spring, she would take her graduation exam and, assuming that she would pass it, she would become a doctor just like her father and two brothers. Aoshi was already a doctor. He was two years older than her and never failed to remind her much to Megumi's annoyance.

Megumi looked at the patient's records as she walked to Examination Room 7. Sanosuke Sagara. He had a long history of impact fractures and had a long history of broken bones mostly to his hands and his nose. What has this person been doing with himself? Megumi pondered over the possible reasons for so much broken bones as she neared Exam Room 7. Brittle bone? Pure skullduggery? Both?

"_You can't pull answers out of thin air, Megumi. Facts not conjecture. Facts."_

She could practically hear Aoshi lecturing her for her runaway thoughts again. She sighed as she put her hand on the doorknob. She pushed it open, a practiced professional smile draping her face instantly.

"Good afternoon, I'm Miss Megumi Takani and I'll be taking care of you today," she said brightly.

Megumi bit back a gasp as she took in the man who was standing in the room. He had a striking air about him. He had forsaken the examination bed and was standing in front of the window with his back to her. His hair was wild and disheveled but managed to look deliberate. His eyes had a sense of mischief and a spark of disobedience in them as he looked over his shoulder at her. He was tall and lean, muscles proudly displayed by his open shirt. His hands were plunged into his pockets. Megumi blinked curiously as the rapidly setting sun poured through the window he was standing in front of washed him in a bright orange light.

"Where's Dr. Genzai?" he asked. His voice was low and rough, Megumi noted.

Megumi regained her senses and shut the door behind her. "Dr. Genzai is busy at the moment but I'll be happy to help you in any way I can," she said to him and made a show of looking through his records. "Mr. Sagara, is it?"

"Yeah," he answered, watching her with interest.

"It's nice to meet you," Megumi gestured to the examination bed. "Would you please take a seat?"

"I think I'll stand," he answered, putting on a playful smirk.

Megumi blinked at him. He's going to be one of _those_ patients, she concluded.

"Suit yourself," Megumi announced.

She pulled out the stethoscope and closed the distance between them. Megumi put on the earpiece and touched his shoulder, getting ready to listen to his heart beat. A sharp shock erupted between their skin contact and Megumi gasped, her heart skipping a beat. She looked up to see him watching her with a belligerent interest, an eyebrow raised. Megumi cleared her throat and continued.

"Breathe deeply please, Mr. Sagara," Megumi said, doing so herself to school her suddenly rapid heart rate.

"Call me Sanosuke," he said in an entirely amused tone.

"Breathe deeply please, _Mr. Sagara_," Megumi stressed, feeling slightly irked.

He chuckled and did as he was told. Megumi repositioned moved to another spot on his chest.

"And again please," she said.

"Why are you doing this?" Sanosuke asked her.

Megumi looked up at him tempestuously, successfully annoyed. "I'm your doctor and as such I-"

"That's not what I meant," Sanosuke answered, walking away from her and plopping himself down in the cushiony swiveling doctor's chair. "I meant a nurse already did my vitals. That's not even what hurts, doc."

Megumi did all she could not to explode at him. Who was he to tell her how to do her job? Megumi crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Well, it seems that you are in perfect health," Megumi observed. "Why then did you think it necessary to visit us today? We have many patients today and if you aren't really hurt, then you're preventing other people from receiving treatment which-"

"Hand hurts," Sanosuke said, raising his right hand into the air. "I think I broke it or something."

Megumi's eyes widened at his hand. It was certainly a sight. It was red and blue and bruised. Megumi walked over to him, inspecting the hand meticulously.

"What did you do?" she asked as she reached out to touch it. He howled.

"Don't do that! It hurts!" he wailed. "I wailed on some guy who deserved it and totally busted my hand."

"We need to x-ray this hand," Megumi said, ignoring how moronic his reason was.

Minutes later, Sanosuke was sitting on a chair, his hand positioned under an x-ray machine, watching Megumi manipulate it. Sanosuke found himself curious about her. She was clearly a spunky thing yet it seemed she found it necessary to hide it. Weird, he concluded. He never was interested in people and usually minded his own business unless, of course, they got in his way. Why should he care about this woman? She was pretty though, he assessed. A glinting ring on her left hand caught Sanosuke's attention. Damn, he thought, taken. Of course she would be, he concluded, a pretty woman like her. It would be weird if she wasn't.

"You engaged, huh?" Sanosuke asked.

"Oh," Megumi said, glancing quickly at the ring on her finger, "yes."

"Lucky guy," he added.

"Thank you."

"You love him?"

"Excuse me?" she balked, staring at him incredulously.

"It's a simple question," Sanosuke shrugged. "Do you or don't you?"

"Mr. Sagara-"

"Sanosuke," he corrected.

"_Mr. Sagara_," she insisted, "my personal life is hardly any of your business. Why shouldn't I love the man I'm going to marry?"

"You askin' me, doc," Sanosuke said, waggling his eyebrows knowingly at her, "or yourself?"

"I… I…" Megumi recoiled.

Sanosuke chuckled. "I figured you love him," he said with a shrug, not waiting for her answer. "I mean, what kind of dummy marries someone they don't love, right?"

Megumi looked away, unable to answer him. Yes, what kind of dummy would do such a thing?

It turned out that Sanosuke's hand wasn't broken but was simply incredibly bruised. He and Megumi sat back in Exam Room 7. Megumi bandaged his hand, thinking all sorts of rude things about him that she would never say out loud. He was a rascal, a rogue, a ruffian. What sort of insane person willingly put themselves in jeopardy as this idiot obviously did? Moron, Megumi continued to think. Plus, what right did he have commenting on other people's love lives? It was her life. He didn't know anything about her. How dare he? She glanced quickly up at him. What is up with the stupid hair anyway? They invented combs for such a reason. Stupid rooster head, she thought scathingly.

"You see something you like, doc?" he spoke the trite line with arrogance, a smirk playing on his lips.

Megumi glared at him testily and drew back. "You're all finished," she said. "Be sure to take care of that hand. Try to elevate it and if at all possible, utilize your left hand until the right heals up."

"Hey, that feels great," Sanosuke said, brandishing his right hand in front of him. "It's kinda sexy, isn't it? Sexy in a tough way."

"Sexy as socks on a rooster," Megumi mumbled, putting the gauze and ointment away.

"Rooster?" Sanosuke exclaimed.

"Perhaps, Mr. Sagara," Megumi said, changing the subject, "you shouldn't get into fights more often. It's clearly unhealthy for a person to put so much stress on his hand."

"Hey, I don't tell you how to live your life, doc," Sanosuke argued.

"Pardon me for doing my job and advising you about your health," Megumi retorted, eyes narrowed in anger as she bolted to her feet.

"Your job is to patch me up when I get roughed up," he reminded her and then showed her his bandaged hand. "You did that already. I don't need you preaching to me."

"And I'm supposed to do nothing even if a sentence or two of warning can save someone's life?"

"That's what's wrong with doctors like you," Sanosuke quarreled. "You try to butt into other people's lives and try to tell them what's best for them. I pay you to fix me up not to sell me your values."

It took all of Megumi's will power not to slap the stupid rooster head. With some effort, she turned away from him and started to head out the door.

"Well, since I obviously did my end of the bargain," Megumi said, anger rattling her voice, "why don't you do yours and pay the nurse at the front desk. Have a good evening, Mr. Sagara."

Megumi slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Megumi slammed her locker shut, irritation still bubbling from her. Idiot! She had never met such a despicable and repugnant human being in all her life. She meant well and she only wanted to help him and he had started a fight. Idiot! Megumi stalked past the other nurses and trainees who were staring warily at the murderous look on her face. Megumi wished that she hadn't been too professional and just gave into the impulse of slapping the jerk. Even so, Megumi felt like she had crossed a line because she had argued with a patient.

"_You must be professional, Megumi. You must be professional at all times."_

Aoshi's voice in her head did nothing but irritate her further. Megumi stalked out the sliding front doors of the hospital, fuming madly. Stupid, stupid, stupid man! Megumi hoped he lapses into a coma! Maybe then he'll learn. Jerk.

"There you are."

Megumi looked up to see Aoshi push himself away from his resplendent black Mercedes and walk up to her, a cool smirk on his lips.

"Aoshi," Megumi said, accepting the kiss he planted on her cheek dutifully.

"You look all worked up," he observed, staring into her face clinically. "Long day?"

"Yes, it was," Megumi said, allowing a sigh to escape her lips.

"Shall we have dinner?"

"I'm meeting Kaoru later," Megumi said.

"An early dinner then?" he offered handsomely.

She looked up at his glittering dark eyes. She should obviously accept this offer so she did.

Megumi picked at her lasagna. She had suggested Italian but she wasn't really in the mood for it. What she really wanted was to head to the bar with Kaoru and toss back a few beers to celebrate the work week's conclusion. Megumi ate a bite lasagna to fool Aoshi into thinking that she was enjoying her dinner. She didn't want another lecture about eating disorders. Plus, if she was truly planning on pounding down a few beers with Kaoru, it would be better if there was something in her stomach. Megumi's eyes drifted to the ring on her left hand.

"…_what kind of dummy marries someone they don't love…?"_

Shut up, Megumi told Sano's voice in her head. What do you know about it? Megumi moved her eyes away from the lasagna to Aoshi who was working through his ricotta stuffed ravioli in silence. Did Aoshi propose because he loved her? Or was it because of the same sense of duty and obligation Megumi felt? She and Aoshi weren't really the couple that people called sappy. They kept their hands to themselves in public, gave each other their well deserved space, and spoke to each other like adults. That had suited Megumi just fine. She hated the idiots proclaiming their love to each other on the street as if it was anybody's business but their own. If Megumi remembered correctly, neither Aoshi nor she had ever said the coveted phrase "I love you." Not even once. Did Aoshi love her? Did he?

"Aoshi?"

"Yes, Megumi?" he asked, not sparing her a glance as he sipped his merlot.

"Do you…" Megumi trailed off; hesitating for a minute, "… love me?"

If Aoshi had been shocked, none of it showed on his smooth patrician face. Impassive as ever, Megumi thought.

"Of course I do," Aoshi said, tackling his ravioli again. "What brought this on all of a sudden?"

"I just…" Megumi sighed, feeling stupid. "I wanted to know. That's all."

"Be logical for a minute," he advised evenly. "I proposed to you. The logical conclusion would be that I love you. Correct?"

"Yes," Megumi breathed.

Satisfied, Aoshi turned his attention to the waitress and asked her to bring them dessert.

"I handled a very interesting case today," Aoshi began as the waitress walked away, her skirt twitching.

"Oh?" Megumi answered submissively.

"This fellow came in and he…"

Aoshi talked and Megumi pretended to listen. He said he loved her. Did he really? If he indeed felt love for her, there was no proof of it in his pragmatic face. And what about her? She accepted his proposal. She had consoled herself with the thought that it was inevitable and it was just something she would have to wait for. Now that it had happened, she found herself questioning it. What a fool, she thought of herself. Fate deemed her worthy of a good husband and a comfortable life and there she was questioning whether she wanted it or not. Did she really love Aoshi? Or was it only convenient that he was there by her side? Was she going to be happy with him? Or would her life be an endless string of niceties and convenience? Megumi took a big sip of her pinot grigio and emptied the glass. It wouldn't be the last drop of alcohol she would have tonight.

* * *

Kaoru was younger than Megumi. Perhaps a year or two. She was working part time as a teacher at a local elementary school, teaching kindergarten. Megumi couldn't believe Kaoru would pick such a career. She acted a child herself and was too impatient for her own good. No matter how many qualms Megumi had about the job, Kaoru still took it and was apparently having the time of her life with it. Megumi thought it was because she was around children who thought the same way she did. The mental jibe put a smirk on Megumi's face as she and Kaoru headed for the door of the Akabeko Restaurant and Bar.

"I can't wait for you to meet him, Meg," Kaoru gushed. "He's a great guy. You'll love him."

"I hope not," Megumi said with a grin. "You know you'll never stand a chance if I decide to steal him from you."

"You can't have him," Kaoru pouted. "You already have Aoshi. Leave some men for the rest of us."

"If you say so," Megumi said, flitting through the door with her.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru yelled, waving ecstatically at someone at the bar.

A man with a shocking mop of red hair looked over at her and raised his right hand in an awkward wave. Kaoru grabbed Megumi by the arm and dragged her to him. Interesting, Megumi concluded. He's not usually the kind of guy that sniffed around Kaoru. The boys around Kaoru consisted mostly of arrogant jerks who think punching someone in the face solved any problem. This Kenshin person looked as if he wouldn't dare harm a flea.

"I hope we didn't keep you waiting long," Kaoru said to him.

"No, I just got here a few minutes ago actually," Kenshin answered. His eyes drifted towards Megumi. "Who's your friend?"

"Oh! Kenshin Himura, meet my friend, Megumi Takani," Kaoru introduced graciously. "Megumi, this is my friend and colleague, Kenshin Himura."

"It's very nice to meet you, Miss Megumi," Kenshin bowed.

"It's very nice to meet you," Megumi said, bowing in response. "Kaoru's told me so much about you."

"All of it good, I hope," Kenshin smiled brightly.

"Far more than good," Megumi commented, noting the dreamy look on Kaoru's face as she looked at Kenshin. "Kaoru told me you moved here only recently, Mr. Himura."

"Yes, I spent two years in America, a year in Seoul, a year in Osaka and Yokohama and I just moved here to Tokyo from Kyoto recently," Kenshin said and then laughed. "I guess you can say I'm a bit of a wanderer."

"I hope you'll be staying here for a long time," Kaoru pointed out.

"Yes, I like it here," Kenshin agreed. "I think I'll stay for a long while."

"What were you doing in all those places?" Megumi asked interestedly.

"Studying, working," Kenshin shrugged. ""Whatever was-"

Kenshin didn't get a chance to finish. A pair of arms grabbed him around the neck in a choke hold. Kaoru gasped. Megumi raised an eyebrow. She would have been worried but Kenshin seemed relaxed enough and was even chortling as if he expected it.

"Kenshin, you bastard," a voice that Megumi recognized said, "you come into town and didn't even bother to call me. You said you were going to marry me, you jerk."

"I don't think that would be practical, Sano," Kenshin sniggered.

Megumi stared at the head of untidy brown hair and the electric dark eyes. She scowled. Just when she was starting to have some fun, the headache of the day came barging in on her good time.

"Do you know him, Kenshin?" Kaoru asked, watching the two wrestle worriedly.

"Yes," Kenshin choked out. "Though I'm reevaluating if it was wise to stay friends with Sano."

"Kenshin and I go way back. We were in middle school and high school together. Up until Kenshin disappeared after high school graduation that is. You bastard!" Sanosuke said loudly, giving Kenshin a noogie. "You gonna introduce me to your lady friends?"

"Sanosuke Sagara, meet Miss Kaoru Kamiya and Miss Megumi Takani," Kenshin stuttered, trying to free himself from his grasp.

Sanosuke's eyes drifted towards Megumi and he let Kenshin go as he stared at her. She met him with a cool and piercing scowl.

"What are you doing here?" Sanosuke asked in a hard voice.


	2. Fall

**Author's Note**: I want to thank you guys for your encouraging words. They're like drugs for me. Just kidding. That might be a bad analogy. Anyway, THANK YOU! Oh! By the way, St. Mary's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church in Tokyo. ^^

CHAPTER 2

Fall

"_Kisses are like tears, the only real ones are the ones you can't hold back."_

A long stare down ensued. Megumi stared back at Sanosuke, a baleful look on her face. Sanosuke stared back at her with an annoyed expression, not wanting to be beaten by such an irritating woman. He didn't like the "better-than-you" look on her face. Megumi didn't like the "I-don't-care-if-you-live-or-die" expression on his. Her scowl deepened.

"For your information," Megumi said haughtily, "I came here with my friend."

Sanosuke snorted. "Didn't know stuck up doctors like you ever mingled with us common folk," he said irritably. "Shouldn't you be at a fancy dinner party kissing the ass of rich people who don't give a damn about anybody but themselves?"

"Don't make assumptions about me like you know me," Megumi argued hotly.

"You ain't hard to figure out, sweetheart," Sanosuke retorted. "You probably were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Probably from a long line of stuck up doctors, too."

She scowled at the truth of his assessment. "The same could be said for you," Megumi bickered. "Just by the looks of you, you seem to be the type who blundered his way through school and was lucky enough to pass and now passes his life by partying and being an idiot."

Sanosuke pointed an indignant finger at her, fixing her with a scowl. "That just proves how much of a snob you are, doc," Sanosuke accused.

"You're talking as if you're not a jerk yourself," Megumi lectured.

"I know I am," Sanosuke harped. "But I don't waste my time pretending I'm not."

During this argument, Kenshin and Kaoru's expressions turned to absolute embarrassment as everyone with a twenty feet radius of Sanosuke and Megumi turned around to watch the argument, annoyance clouding their faces. Kenshin and Kaoru bowed apologetically to the other bar patrons.

"Sano," Kenshin said with a wide, terribly bright smile, grabbing his arm tightly to keep him from talking, "you know Miss Megumi, do you?"

"Yeah, she patched up my hand," Sano said, raising his right bandaged hand.

"Yes and all I got was lip and rude behavior," Megumi snarled.

"'Cause you were tellin' me what to do!" Sanosuke argued loudly.

"A moron like you would kill yourself otherwise!" Megumi yelled back, matching his volume.

"I took care of myself fine before you started butting in to my life," Sanosuke howled, gesticulating passionately.

"Took care of yourself?" Megumi scoffed. "And just how is getting more than half a dozen bone fractures taking care of yourself?"

"What I do with my life has nothing to do with you!" Sanosuke yelled.

"Sano, perhaps you shouldn't yell," Kenshin said, casting a worried look at the murderous looks beginning to develop on the faces of the other bar patrons.

"Shut up for a minute, Kenshin. I'm talking."

Megumi sneered. "More like screaming like a blowhard," she mumbled.

"What was that?" Sanosuke asked, looming huge over Megumi.

Kaoru grabbed Megumi's arm as Megumi reeled up for another row of insults. "Meg, come on, don't start a fight," Kaoru pleaded. "We came to have fun, remember?"

"You should listen to your tomboy friend," Sanosuke said flippantly.

"What do you mean by tomboy?" Kaoru yelled, making the entire restaurant look around at her.

Megumi did nothing as Kaoru launched herself at Sanosuke. The prick deserved every piece of anger and ferocity stored in Kaoru's tight little body. Megumi would actually thank her if he gave the bastard a black eye. Kenshin held Kaoru back and led Sanosuke away, chuckling nervously.

"Come on, Sano, let's get the ladies some drinks," Kenshin said, with an awkward chortle.

"I ain't gettin' those witches squat!" Sano yelled over his shoulder.

* * *

Megumi stared at her phone. A text from Aoshi had just come. "Remember that we're going to St. Mary's Cathedral tomorrow." Wedding preparations had begun earlier than she had anticipated or liked. Megumi would have liked at least a few more weeks to absorb the fact that in a few short months, her life would be drastically changed. She didn't feel ready but she knew it was coming. It was like a test you didn't study for but would have to take anyway. A knot formed in her stomach. First the ceremony site then the wedding dress, the wedding party, the bridesmaids dresses, the reception site, the caterer, the photographer, the videographer, the florist, the-

"It's disgusting."

Megumi looked to her left where Sanosuke had perched himself for the past fifteen minutes. Megumi was determined to ignore him and it seemed that he was thinking the same thing until he said something out of the blue. Sanosuke lifted his eyes to Megumi.

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

Sanosuke nodded over to the other side of the bar. Megumi looked to her right to see Kenshin and Kaoru leaning towards each other absorbed in their own intense conversation. Their foreheads were almost touching. Kenshin laughed loudly at something Kaoru said and a maiden blush painted Kaoru's cheeks.

"What's so disgusting about that?" Megumi questioned.

"It's a hook up waiting to happen," Sanosuke said blithely.

"You are such a pervert," Megumi griped. "They could very well be having a spirited conversation about their work."

Sanosuke snorted. "Think whatever you want, doc," Sanosuke rolled his eyes, "but I know there are kinky things going on in their heads. No doubt about it."

"You're such a man whore," Megumi said with a frown. She had rather not think about her best friend doing kinky things. It was just wrong.

Sanosuke lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "I won't pretend I'm not," he admitted. He looked over at Megumi with an unholy glint in his eyes. "How 'bout you? You feel like doin' somethin' kinky?"

Megumi felt her heart skip a beat as he flashed her a devilish grin. They were just arguing an hour ago and here he was putting in a sardonic attempt at flirtation. First, what gave him the right to flirt with her when he's just acted like an arrogant chauvinist towards her? Second, the man had sharper mood swings than a woman. It unnerved her and the tantalizing smile on his devil-may-care face did nothing to help her heart rate calm down. His request was frankly sexual, nothing hidden or covered up about it. It was an absurd question. It was even more absurd that for a full five seconds, she weighed the pros and cons of leaving with him. Sexy smile, tanned skin that came from outdoor exercise, long planes of hard muscle, a glimmer of something wild in his eyes. Perhaps…

Megumi mentally slapped herself, dousing the flames of her own desire. What was she thinking? There was a plethora of reasons as to why she should never get herself involved with this man. He was a revolting man, uncouth and rude. He belittled her profession, argued with her motives. He was a complete riff raff. Megumi was brought up never to associate with ruffians like him unless they came as a patient at a hospital. The wild, untamed, magnetic pull he had on him was nothing but a side effect of the obvious irritation she had for him. She was not attracted to him, Megumi tried to convince herself. Furthermore, she was engaged! She can't have lascivious thoughts about some stranger with a devilish grin.

"The only thing I'm going to do, Mr. Sagara, is go home," Megumi said, rising fluidly from the bar stool.

"I told you to call me Sanosuke," Sano said, the devilish grin never leaving his face.

Megumi gave him an annoyed look. "Good night, _Mr. Sagara_," Megumi said, turning her nose up in the air and stalking to the door.

Sano chuckled and pushed himself up to his feet. "Hold on a second, sweetheart," he drawled, shoving his hands into his pockets and ambling towards her. "I'll walk you to your car."

Megumi eyed him suspiciously. "Why?" she asked, taking a step back from him.

"Proper ladies like you shouldn't go out walking by yourself in the middle of the night," Sano informed her as if explaining his reason bored him. He then hooked a thumb towards Kenshin and Kaoru. "I would have made Kenshin do it but seeing as though he's trying to get in your friend's pants at the moment, I figure I'd do him a favor and walk you out myself."

Megumi glanced over to Kenshin and Kaoru. Kenshin seemed like the type who would blush at the slightest mention of casual sex. Kaoru wouldn't know the first thing about it. If the chance or the situation ever came up for those two, it would be a very awkward (and perhaps hilarious) occasion. Kinky things aside, Kenshin and Kaoru did seem to be very fond of each other and hardly looked up at the people around them as they continued on with their animated conversation. Megumi wondered if Kaoru was aware of how great a catch Kenshin was. Much better than his friend, Megumi thought scathingly, moving her eyes back to Sanosuke. His eyes had glazed over. Jerk.

"I'm perfectly capable of walking myself to my car," Megumi said, turning and sweeping out the door.

"Why do you gotta be so difficult?" Sanosuke asked, snapping out of his reverie and following her out the door. "I'm trying to do the gentlemanly thing here."

"Well, nobody asked you to," Megumi said dryly.

"I'm not going to rape you if that's what you're thinking," Sano said, rolling her eyes.

"Well, I wasn't thinking that," Megumi said, turning around planting her hands on her hips with a malicious scowl, "but now I am!"

Sano put his face close to hers. Megumi refused to back down from him and glared at him, refusing to note how fast her heart began to beat. "You're not my type, doc," Sanosuke said and walked past her. "Well, come on. I'm not walking out here for my own amusement." He stood and looked sideways at her.

Megumi glowered at him and stamped her foot. She stomped past him, her face drawn in a tight frown. Sanosuke only chuckled as he followed her. Little spitfire, he thought. She needed to loosen up. Not that he wanted to be the one to do the honors. She had a fiancé for that sort of thing. And like he said, she wasn't his type. Then again, Sayo hadn't been his type either. Sanosuke frowned and stamped down that string of particularly ugly memories. It wasn't the time or place to drag up tragic memories. That was to be done in solitude… when he was howling at the moon.

"I don't know why you feel compelled to do this," Megumi complained, snapping Sanosuke out of his reverie.

"I just want to make sure you get to your car in one piece, alright?" he answered. "Lady like you probably led many men to sin."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Megumi asked, refusing to even turn her head to look at him as she marched.

"I'm just sayin' that men wouldn't think twice takin' advantage of a girl like you," Sanosuke said, ruffling his hair and looking away from her as he walked.

"I'll have you know that-"

Megumi didn't get a chance to finish. She turned abruptly around to face Sanosuke and rammed into his hard chest. She lost her footing and tumbled backwards. Sanosuke cursed and reached out to grab her. Megumi clenched her hand around a fistful of his shirt and dragged him down with her. The two of them fell in a heap. Megumi's back collided with the pavement and she yelped in pain. Sanosuke's knees crashed onto the ground and he cursed a blue streak.

Sanosuke braced himself up on his shoulders and found a wide eyed Megumi lying underneath him. He was suddenly totally aware of how near she was to him. Her enticing lips were parted slightly in shock and Sanosuke was swept with the intense desire to kiss her. She was soft and delicate beneath him and the shock and amazement in her eyes only made the fist of desire pound harder inside him. Slowly, without thinking, Sanosuke dipped his head towards hers, lowering his lips to hers. The craving spread through him, warmth shooting to his fingertips. He leaned in closer to her, watching her eyes scrutinize him with astonishment. Sanosuke dipped his lower to touch his lips to hers… closer… closer… He closed his eyes and damned the consequences.


	3. The Takani Family

CHAPTER 3

The Takani Family

"_Parents wonder why the streams are bitter, when they themselves have poisoned the fountain.__"_

Megumi's eyes widened as she realized that Sanosuke meant to kiss her. But as he loomed nearer and nearer, she couldn't find her voice to tell him to stop. She felt as if her heart was going to explode out of her chest. He leaned closer and closer until…

"Sano?"

A puzzled voice immediately put out the flames of desire. Sanosuke looked to see Kenshin and Kaoru watching them with shocked and scandalized looks.

"What are you doing?" Kenshin asked, looking from Sanosuke to Megumi and back.

Sanosuke practically leapt to his feet. Megumi sat up and pushed herself to her feet, keeping her eyes firmly away from Sanosuke.

"What do you mean?" Sanosuke asked, scratching his head.

"You were on the ground," Kenshin continued.

"Yeah, we… tripped," Sanosuke said.

"On top of Megumi?" Kaoru asked, raising her eyebrow at Megumi.

Megumi looked away. She didn't have the slightest desire to explain the situation to Kaoru. She didn't even have an explanation for herself.

"Where are you two going?" Sanosuke asked, immediately changing the topic.

"I'm going to drive Miss Kaoru home," Kenshin said as an exuberant smile crossed Kaoru's face.

"Driving her home, huh?" Sanosuke repeated, giving Megumi a knowing look. He apparently still thinks that the two are going to hook up. Megumi gave into the urge and rolled her eyes at him.

"Are you driving Miss Megumi home?" Kenshin asked innocently.

"I wouldn't mind it," Sanosuke chuckled suggestively, sweeping a long tantalizing gaze over Megumi.

Megumi ignored the suggestive nature of his voice and ignored the way her own .body responded to it. "I'm perfectly capable of driving myself home," Megumi said primly.

"Oh, so you're one of _those_ girls, huh?" Sanosuke laughed, continuing on with his sexual innuendos.

Kenshin and Kaoru looked completely lost. "Is it an inside joke?" Kaoru asked.

"I'd like to be in somethin', alright," Sanosuke continued with a devious grin.

"You're disgusting!" Megumi exclaimed, flushing red as Sanosuke threw back his head in a loud laugh.

"Alright," Kenshin said awkwardly, turning to lead the way to his car, "well, we're going to go."

"I better see you around, Kenshin," Sanosuke warned him, "or I'm going to hunt you down and beat you up."

"That's all the motivation I need, Sano," Kenshin added as he and Kaoru walk off.

"I'll call you later," Kaoru told Megumi with a look that said she was going to require a long explanation about Sanosuke. Megumi internally groaned.

Sanosuke and Megumi watched Kenshin's simple sedan drive off. When the lights had disappeared from view, Sanosuke and Megumi stood next to each other, silence choking each of them. He almost kissed her. She almost let him. Tension wrapped around Megumi tightly. She shouldn't have allowed him anywhere close to her. It had taken Aoshi five months to earn an embrace from her and yet this irritating excuse for a man almost snuck a kiss from her and she practically allowed him to! Where was her pride? Where was her honor? Where was her sense of decency? She was an engaged woman! What on earth was she doing with a despicable idiot like him?

"Well, I'm gonna go," Sanosuke said simply, turning on his heel and walking off.

"Wait a minute," Megumi said to Sanosuke's retreating back. "Aren't we going to talk about this?"

Sanosuke raised his eyebrow. "Talk about what?" he asked.

"What just happened here?" Megumi demanded.

Sanosuke shrugged. "It is what it is," he answered.

"But I-"

"See ya around, doc!" Sanosuke waved, walking away from her.

Megumi watched his lethargic and arrogant swagger as he walked to his car. She reacted so strangely to his presence. He infuriated her but she was tempted to touch him all the same. She wanted nothing more than to erase him from her life but something about his grin intoxicated her. Megumi didn't need complications in her life. She didn't need another man butting into her life when she was about to marry another. She had promised herself away and Sanosuke Sagara wasn't a man she should involve herself with. If she was lucky, she would never see him again.

* * *

Megumi sat in one of the pews, looking to the front altar. The rivulets of sunlight filtered down from the ceiling, washing the sanctuary in reverent light. The hard granite flooded the place with a sense of spirituality and drama. St. Mary's Cathedral was one of the most fantastic churches in Tokyo. Holding the ceremony here would definitely maintain the high class standards both the Shinomori and Takani families maintained. Megumi felt indifferent. It was just a church to her. She should feel worshipful, awed, or overwhelmed that this was the place she would start her new life as a wife but she felt none of these things. She stared blankly at the altar, not feeling anything in particular.

"What do you think?"

Megumi looked to her left to find Aoshi standing next to her, observing the altar as well. "About what?" Megumi asked blithely.

"About having the ceremony here, of course," Aoshi answered smoothly.

"We could have the ceremony here if you want," Megumi shrugged.

"I asked you."

"The church is fine," Megumi stated. "I have no problems with having the ceremony here."

Aoshi watched her stand up. "Are you sure?" he asked. "You don't want to look at other churches?"

"No," Megumi answered. "This one will do."

"If you say so," Aoshi said, checking his watch. "We have to go. We're supposed to have lunch with your family. Your brother say they will have a special guest today."

Megumi inwardly flinched at the mention of her family. She followed Aoshi out without saying a word. Her family used to be happy, used to be full of joy. But ever since her father's death, it was as if the light had been snuffed out of their home. Megumi's mother had turned cold and judgmental with too high expectations. Minoru, her eldest brother, became strict and severe, taking on the task of the man of the house. Mitsuo, Megumi's other older brother, was the only one she could confide in. Megumi had followed Mitsuo's example and moved out of their home as soon as she could. She felt suffocated there. She felt like she was always holding her breath. She felt like she was always putting on a show. Megumi always had to fake a smile, a laugh, as if she wasn't allowed to feel anything else, as if feeling anything short of contentment and gratification was shameful. She wasn't allowed to be upset; she wasn't allowed to be angry. Megumi wasn't allowed to cry and scream when her father died. She had been denied that privilege.

"_Proper girls don't cause a scene."_

Her mother's voice was almost as sharp in her mind as Aoshi's. Even as a grown woman, Megumi had trouble breaking free from the tyrannical judgments of her mother and eldest brother. She had trouble acting on impulse and acting freely even though she desperately wanted to. Proper girls didn't do that sort of thing, she reminded herself.

The mansion owned by the Takani family was a sight to behold. It was greeted by a large sweeping lawn with a fountain in the middle, a large circular drive leading up to the front door. The mansion stood white and impassive against the sprawling vegetation meticulously tended by paid gardeners. It felt more like a prison to Megumi than a home. It ceased being a home to her when her father died.

Megumi followed Aoshi inside. He seemed more at home in her family's house than she did. Megumi was filled with the all consuming desire to make herself as small as possible, to make herself as unnoticeable as possible. If she stayed out of the way, perhaps she'd make it out of this unwanted lunch unscathed.

"Megumi, dear!"

Her mother's cutting voice slashed across the room. She hadn't lost that paltry and faux tone of hospitality. Megumi put on her practiced "gracious daughter" smile and bowed to her mother then accepted the embrace offered to her. Mayumi Takani had her dark hair gathered up to a tight bun on the top of her head. Her eyes were cold and sharp, taking in every single thing Megumi was wearing with a critical eye.

"That beige dress does nothing for your complexion, dear," Mayumi spoke critically. "I would have thought you would know what colors compliment you by now. You really must rethink your wardrobe."

Translation: You look hideous. A thinly veiled insult given under the pretense of trying to encourage Megumi to be a better woman. She had received comments like these from her mother since she was old enough to have memories. There was always something wrong with her hair, with her clothes, with her actions. Megumi bit back a sigh as her mother greeted Aoshi. She supposed there's something to be said for consistency.

"Come into the drawing room," Mayumi said, slipping her arm through Aoshi's and leading him away. "We haven't seen you in weeks and we have a guest."

She led Aoshi away, expecting Megumi to follow which she did dutifully. Megumi felt so trapped in this place but she had no courage to condemn her mother and flee out the door. Poor Megumi, she was still waiting for her mother to love her. She was still waiting for her mother to smile at her and tell her she loved her as she is and she didn't have to change a thing.

"Meg."

Megumi turned. Mitsuo was smiling warmly at her. His dark hair tumbled over his forehead handsomely, his glasses perched primly on his nose. Mitsuo gathered her into his arms and Megumi breathed out comfortably. She wasn't aware that she was holding her breath but of course, she always was in this house. Mitsuo had kind eyes and a reassuring smile. It was Mitsuo who hugged her at night when Megumi felt like she would explode from the feelings she was forced to hide. Mitsuo had always been understanding and patient. At times, Megumi felt that he saved her from himself.

"Auntie Megumi!"

A little brown haired girl with pigtails hugged her around her thighs, laughing happily. Megumi bent down and enveloped the little girl in her arms.

"Hello, Suzume," Megumi smiled.

Mitsuo had married four years ago to Sumiko Sasaki, a respectable child psychologist with enough kindness in her eyes to rival Mitsuo's. Suzume, their daughter, was born three short years ago.

"Auntie Megumi!"

Another little girl wrapped her arms around Megumi. The little girl's long hair tickled Megumi's arm.

"Hello, Ayame," Megumi giggled.

Ayame was her other brother, Minoru's daughter. Much to Megumi's surprise, Minoru had married an adventurous sort of woman who believed in free expression. It was a belief that strongly clashed with their mother's own values and beliefs. Aiko Nakajima didn't care much about what her mother in law wanted. In Aiko's opinion, the five year old Ayame was her daughter and she would dictate how she would be brought up, not Mayumi. Megumi had enormous respect for both of her sisters in law. They married into a hard family and yet the persisted and found smiles and unconditional love for their daughters.

"Megumi," a stern voice said.

Minoru stood at the doorway to the drawing room with his wife by his side, staring seriously at Megumi. Sumiko and Aiko sensed the tension in the room.

"Ayame, Suzume, why don't we go to the garden," she suggested, herding the two little girls with Aiko following. "It's a nice day to play outside."

The three siblings waited for the door to the garden to swing shut. Megumi stared hard at her older brother. Minoru kept his hair tidy and short and his expression was tight and closed. The responsibilities placed on him as the oldest child has made him almost emotionless. This depressed Megumi. Minoru used to be so full of laughter and happiness. Life had robbed him of that joy.

"We haven't heard from you in weeks, Megumi," Minoru stated icily. "We had to learn about your engagement from Aoshi. Are you not embarrassed?"

"Minoru," Mitsuo said warningly. Minoru didn't spare him a glance.

"I was busy," Megumi said in a small voice.

"You have a responsibility to your family, Megumi," Minoru said, turning his back to her. "Whatever business you have should not take precedence over your own flesh and blood."

"I'm busy at the hospital," Megumi attempted to argue.

"I don't want to hear your excuses," Minoru snapped, stepping towards the drawing room. "Right now, we have a guest to attend to. You would know that if you took the time to care about what's going on in your own family. If you're going to ignore us then we might as well not have a sister at all."

Megumi felt as if she had the wind knocked out of her. Minoru had always had the power to bring down the hammer of shame on Megumi's head and she had to breathe deeply and evenly, counting backwards from ten to keep herself from crying. Suddenly, Mitsuo's arms were around her and he pulled her into another tight embrace. Megumi heaved a shuddering sigh. Megumi felt as if her brother's words were poison arrows stabbed into her heart. She was never good enough for her mother and she never did enough according to her Minoru. Megumi had escaped from this house and the pain and ache the place brought but she was dragged back time and time again and each time she went back, the wounds that were beginning to heal was torn open, left to bleed.

"Don't worry about Minoru," Mitsuo said tenderly. "You know how he gets."

"It doesn't make it any less hurtful," Megumi complained in a whisper.

"I know," Mitsuo patter her hair. "I know."

After Megumi composed herself, she followed Mitsuo into the drawing room. Mayumi, Aoshi, and Minoru were sitting with a man dressed in a sharp suit. As the man turned his head to look at her, Megumi felt her heart stop. Sanosuke Sagara was staring at her from across the room.


	4. An Unlikely Profession

CHAPTER 4

An Unlikely Occupation

"_The only difference between doctors and lawyers is that lawyers merely rob you, whereas doctors rob you and kill you, too."_

Megumi stabbed her filet mignon and pushed the piece into her mouth. She forked an asparagus and shoveled it in as well. Sanosuke was having an animated conversation with Minoru and after greeting her in the drawing room, hadn't looked at her since. It was as if they were strangers and it was as if they didn't spend the previous night bickering like elementary school children. Today, he wore a suit and used sophisticated words like "cross-examination", "testimony", "soliloquy", and "pathos." Megumi narrowed her eyes at him as he nodded at something Minoru said, cutting his steak deftly. What was he? How can be an irritating good for nothing one day and a buttoned down refined gentleman the next? Perhaps Sanosuke had a twin and this was him. But no, he had been introduced to her as Mr. Sanosuke Sagara. What was he? Megumi frowned, irritated by her own thoughts.

"Are you alright, Megumi?" Mitsuo whispered.

"That depends on your definition of 'alright'," Megumi answered, knifing her steak again.

Minoru looked over as Megumi's knife clanged with the plate. "What do you think of Mr. Sagara, Megumi?"

"He's quite interesting," Megumi said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "What is it that you do again, Mr. Sagara?"

"I'm a lawyer," he answered with something akin to amusement in his eyes.

"Really?" Megumi asked, a hint of sarcasm escaping from her lips. "I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years."

"Do you know each other?" Aoshi chimed in curiously.

"Miss Megumi did a wonderful job patching up my bruised hand yesterday," Sanosuke offered evenly, holding up his still bandaged hand. "I've never been so well taken care of at a hospital."

"You didn't tell me you had a well respected lawyer as a patient, Megumi," Aoshi replied.

"I didn't know he was a lawyer," Megumi said, keeping her narrowed eyes on Sanosuke. "He wasn't wearing a suit yesterday."

"Yesterday was my day off," Sanosuke chuckled. "One mustn't judge a book by its cover on its days off."

The lunch table chuckled. Megumi wasn't amused.

"I've hired Mr. Sagara to be our family's lawyer," Minoru announced. "I decided to get informed early about the technical legal end of setting up a hospital."

"Your father would have been so proud of you, Minoru, dear," Mayumi cooed, raising her champagne glass to him.

Megumi resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Mayumi was putting on a show again. By the way Minoru and Mitsuo tightened their jaws, it was wildly apparent that they were aware of it as well.

"So are you all siblings?" Sanosuke asked, looking at Megumi and the three men surrounding her.

"Aoshi is Megumi's fiancé," Mitsuo answered as Sanosuke's probing eyes flicked to Aoshi. "But Minoru and I are Megumi's elder brothers."

"Congratulations on your engagement," Sanosuke said.

"Thank you," Aoshi answered.

Megumi punished her asparagus again, shoving it into her mouth. He was a lawyer alright, she deduced. He knew just what to say to get everyone on his side. If she hadn't met him the previous day, she would have been swindled herself. Sanosuke must have been good at his job. Megumi hesitated over her steak as she watched him answer one of her mother's questions. Was the Sanosuke she met yesterday the act or was it the Sanosuke sitting in front of her that's the act.

* * *

Aoshi, Minoru, and Mitsuo had begun talking about medicine, hospitals, and pharmaceuticals after lunch. Aoshi was a physician, Minoru was a surgeon, and Mitsuo was a pediatrician. Sanosuke was sorely out of place in their conversation. He would have left with some pansy ass excuse of having another appointment but rain sloshed and raged outside, threatening to turn into a storm and the good Mrs. Takani (who had disappeared to get a shiatsu massage) wouldn't hear of his leaving and insisted he wait the storm out. The Takanis were potential clients. Sanosuke thought it was best not to offend one of them. Sanosuke looked over to the window to see Megumi staring wistfully out into the rain, her cup of tea perched primly in her hand. She seemed as if she was wishing herself away, hoping she could be anywhere but where she was. Sanosuke looked over to her fiancé. Aoshi seemed completely absorbed with his conversation with the Takani brothers. Sensing an opening, Sanosuke walked over to Megumi.

"Rain's great, isn't it?" he asked, sipping his own tea casually.

Megumi looked up at him and scoffed. "You're going to talk to me about the weather?" she asked incredulously.

"It's a perfect conversation starter," Sanosuke chuckled.

"I hate the rain," Megumi said tersely.

Sanosuke said. "Yeah, it sucks," he agreed. "It's keeping me from a six pack of beer I got at home."

Megumi looked at him incredibly. The statement seemed quite out of place coming out of a man who was wearing an expensive suit. "I didn't expect you to be a lawyer," Megumi confessed.

"You're such a snob," Sanosuke shook his head. "What did you think I was? A janitor? A mechanic?"

"Perhaps," Megumi confessed.

"And what if I was?" Sanosuke challenged. "A working class job is better than no job at all in my opinion."

"I guess," Megumi sighed.

"This is a large house," Sanosuke observed.

"Evidently," Megumi said blankly.

"I grew up poor, you know," Sanosuke admitted solemnly, drawing a curious look from Megumi. "I didn't have anything like this as a kid. I used to think my family would be happy if we had money, if we weren't poor." He gave her a penetrating stare. "That's not true, is it?"

Megumi smiled sardonically. "No, it's not," she confessed.

She felt as if she just confirmed his theories about how dysfunctional her family was but she didn't care. Her family was dysfunctional. Money or lack thereof wouldn't have changed the fact.

"Why didn't you say you were a lawyer?" Megumi demanded.

"You didn't ask, sweetheart," Sanosuke grinned at her. "Plus, I didn't think we were that intimate with each other."

"We're not," Megumi said curtly.

Sanosuke chortled. "You know, when I think of going back home, I think of good things," he began. "Watching a game with my Dad, eating my Mom's cooking." He gave her a searching look. "It's not the same for you, is it?"

Megumi gave him an annoyed look. "Don't psychoanalyze me," she threatened. "I'm not on trial here."

"You wouldn't be a very good witness anyway," Sanosuke shrugged. "I can read your face like a book."

"I thought honesty was important in a trial," Megumi argued.

"You're innocent if you think that way," Sanosuke grinned mockingly. "Trials are all about winning or losing."

"You say that like it's a game," Megumi said, sipping her tea.

"Everything is a game," Sanosuke said bitterly. "There's always a winner and a loser."

He was right, Megumi thought as she stared out into the rain. There was always something to be won or lost and there was always someone who would win or lose. Megumi looked over her shoulder at Aoshi. Had she lost or won by agreeing to marry him?

* * *

"I don't want to be here, Kaoru," Megumi complained as she followed Kaoru to the bar.

"Would you stop being a prude," Kaoru told her as she ordered a beer for herself and Megumi. "It's Saturday night. Have a little bit of fun. Dance with someone."

"I'm engaged, genius," Megumi reminded her.

"You're not married yet," Kaoru laughed.

Kaoru had obviously ingested her fair share of alcohol and was currently loopy. Kaoru had dragged Megumi away from her reading and forced her into a burgundy bandage dress and dragged her to a night club. The pulsating beat grated Megumi's nerves and the dim lighting gave her a headache. Megumi desperately wanted to leave. She had already been groped once by some drunken bastard and she wasn't eager to repeat the process. Kaoru, however, was perfectly content as she spiraled into drunken oblivion, swaying to electronic beat, her beer in her hand.

"Can we leave now?" Megumi asked for the umpteenth time.

"No!" Kaoru yelled. "I'm meeting Kenshin here!"

"Then why did you bring me along?" Megumi asked indignantly.

"Because you would have turned into hermit if I- KENSHIN!"

Kaoru lunged forward and threw her arms around Kenshin. Kenshin was dressed in a smart fuchsia button down shirt, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He would be the only man who would look good in pink, Megumi assessed.

"Miss Kaoru, are you alright?" Kenshin asked worriedly.

"Kaoru has had a few drinks," Megumi informed him.

"I'm sorry we made you wait," Kenshin apologized.

"We?" Megumi raised her eyebrow.

"Hey, sugar, you drinkin' that?"

Sanosuke appeared out of nowhere behind Kenshin, swiped the beer from Megumi's hand and took a large swig, leaning against the bar lethargically. He was eyeing a blonde to his left who was already grinning at him like a feline. Megumi resisted the urge to smack him across the shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Megumi asked Sanosuke as he grinned devilishly at the blonde.

"Kenshin told me he was coming to a night club and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to be in the presence of some stunning women," Sanosuke explained, his eyes never leaving the blonde for a second.

"You're appalling," Megumi scowled.

"I'm going to take Miss Kaoru somewhere to sit," Kenshin said, supporting Kaoru and leading her away, a worried look on his face.

Megumi watched them go, a twinge of jealousy nipping at her. Kaoru had a man who actually took care of her, who protected her, and had her best interests at heart. Megumi didn't remember the last time Aoshi took care of her. She supposed he never had before. Of course, she was a grown woman and she was fully capable of taking care of herself but it would have been nice to let someone else be strong for once. It would have been nice to lean on someone instead of standing on one's own all the time. It would have been nice to indulge herself in weakness.

"_You can't afford to be weak, Megumi. Only the strong survive in this world."_

Aoshi's voice buzzed through her head. She sighed silently. Even when the music was blaring, she could still hear his voice loud and clear in her head.

"You were right."

Megumi looked to her left to see Sanosuke giving her a curious look as he took a swig of his purloined beer.

"What?"

He nodded to the spot where Kenshin and Kaoru had been. "They didn't hook up last night," he explained.

"I told you so," Megumi rolled her eyes. "Not every man is as perverse as you."

"I bet he thought about it though," Sanosuke reviewed as he took another gulp of beer.

"Thought about what?"

"Coitus with your friend over there," Sanosuke said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's utterly ridiculous!" Megumi exclaimed. "You make it seem like men think about sex all the time."

"Not all the time," Sanosuke admitted. "But a good portion of it. We only need just a little stimulation to make that leap. For example," he went on, his eyes landing on Megumi's body and taking a leisurely stroll downwards to her creamy thighs, "do you have any idea what's running through my head right now?"

His eyes skated back up her body and he locked eyes with her. As if a switch had been flipped, Megumi felt charged with sexual tension and she had to mentally coax herself not to touch Sanosuke Sagara. She was a taken woman. She was a taken woman. She was a taken woman. Megumi's heart only beat harder and faster and she couldn't help the desire from tightening inside her. As if sensing how hard she was resisting, Sanosuke gave her a smoky smirk. He pushed himself off the bar, grabbed Megumi's waist and pulled her close to him, leaning in to whisper seductively in her ear.

"Why don't you and I find some privacy, doc?" he asked with his devil's grin. "What do you think of that?"


	5. Temptation

CHAPTER 5

Temptation

"_The best proof of love is trust.__"_

Megumi stared into Sanosuke's glittering brown eyes, her heart thudding loudly against her chest. The word "no" hovered on her lips but she couldn't force herself to thrust it out at him like a whip. Megumi searched her head for Aoshi's voice, searched her mind for something Aoshi said about loyalty and fidelity. He had said no such thing. They never talked about their relationship or their faithfulness to each other. It was just assumed that it was there and was never talked of. Megumi tried to think over and over that she was engaged. Lotharios like Sanosuke should sicken Megumi. She should have wanted to knee him in his family jewels and walk off with her nose in the air. But his eyes invited her in, coaxed her to part of the mischief instead of the receiving end of it. Her eyes slid down to his lips and she felt her heart skip a beat. It should be illegal for someone to be so captivating, Megumi thought weakly. Megumi felt arousal bloom in her stomach. It should be illegal for her to want someone so badly.

"Sanosuke."

Sanosuke immediately released Megumi at the sound of Kenshin's voice. "Yeah?" he asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Miss Kaoru and I wanted to get dinner," Kenshin said as he eyed Sanosuke's belligerent face and Megumi's reddening face. "We were wondering if you and Miss Megumi wanted to join us."

Megumi focused all her energy in schooling her heart rate. She would have to concern herself with explaining what just happen some other time. For the moment, her priority was looking nonchalant. She was failing miserably. What in the world was this sensation? Megumi never felt this sort of hot blooded passion with Aoshi or any other man before Sanosuke. She just assumed that she wasn't capable of it. She was evidently wrong.

"I'm in," Sanosuke shrugged, "but you're paying, Kenshin."

"Sano, you make more money than me," Kenshin pointed out.

"What does that have to do anything?" Sanosuke asked.

"I think I'll pass," Megumi announced. "I have work tomorrow and I don't want to stay out."

"Aw, come on, doc," Sanosuke cajoled. "You're already out. Have dinner with us."

"No, your peer pressure tactics shall not prevail," Megumi argued.

"You're so conceited," Sanosuke pouted. "You act like we're not friends or something."

"We're not friends."

Sanosuke splayed his hand over his chest in mock affront. "You're hurtin' my feelings," he said.

"Good," Megumi nodded with a smirk. "You deserve it."

Sanosuke raised an eyebrow at her smirk. "Well, aren't you just a little fox?"

"Don't call me that!" Megumi exclaimed indignantly. She huffed as Sanosuke laughed. She glared at him. "I'm leaving. Good night, Kenshin. Please tell Kaoru I'll call her tomorrow."

"Wait a minute. You can't walk out in the parking lot by yourself," Sano pointed out, a grin still spread on his face as he walked toward Megumi. "I'll walk you to your car."

"Not this nonsense again," Megumi grumbled with a caustic gaze. "Stay here and don't follow me."

"I'll do what I want and I want to follow you out to the parking lot and walk you to your car."

Megumi resisted the urge to growl and stamp her foot. "Why are you so annoying?" she bickered as she stomped out the door.

"You're just fun to annoy," Sanosuke chuckled.

"Go fornicate yourself," Megumi snapped.

Sanosuke laughed as she clomped away from him with surprising speed. "Physical impossibility, sweetheart," he pointed out. "You want to help me out with that?"

Megumi reached her car and whirled around and fixed him with a hard stare. Sanosuke stopped and met her stare evenly. "I'm engaged, Mr. Sagara," Megumi stated clearly.

"I know."

"So what do you want from me?"

Sanosuke pushed her against the side of her car and leaned close to her face, his eyes glittering. "The same thing you want from me," he said, making Megumi's heart rate accelerate.

"I don't want anything from you," Megumi said a bit breathlessly.

"Ah, that would be a lie," Sanosuke chuckled, turned and walked back towards the club. "I'll be seeing you around, fox."

Megumi stared after him, astounded. What she wanted from him? She was certain that she wanted nothing from him. Why would she? And what could he possibly posses that she would desire?

* * *

Megumi stared out into space as her chopsticks hovered over her udon noodles.

_"The same thing you want from me."_

Curse him! Of course Megumi didn't want anything from him. He was irritating and a pain and lewd and crass and obtuse. Megumi wanted nothing more than to see the day where she would never see him or hear from him again. Stupid man. He definitely had no morals. What sort of man would shamelessly flirt with an engaged woman. It was irritating. He was irritating. She was engaged. She was engaged.

"Megumi?"

And what kind of woman did that Sanosuke Sagara take her for anyhow? Did he really expect her to respond to his advances? How absurd! Unlike that depraved ignoramus, she had scruples, morals. Why on earth would a woman like Megumi ever respond to the advances of a cad? He obviously doesn't know anything about Megumi. He obviously knows nothing about anything. Curse him!

"Megumi!"

Megumi's head snapped to see Aoshi looking at her with a slightly peeved expression. Megumi was surprised to find the staff lounge to be empty. It was teeming with people when she began eating lunch. She watched Aoshi sit down in front of her, watching her curiously.

"You seem distracted," he assessed. "You and Kaoru got in late yesterday I surmise."

"No, Kaoru and I didn't stay together last night," Megumi answered, conveniently leaving out the encounter with Sanosuke. "I went home early."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Megumi watched Aoshi unwrap his lunch and went back to her own lunch. Megumi never thought anything of it at first but Aoshi never was concerned when she went off with Kaoru to typically social places. He didn't care that she went to night clubs, to bars, to parties. Megumi supposed she should have been glad but at the moment, it bothered her. Did he just expect her to be a faithful woman and remain true to him.

"Aoshi."

"Yes, Megumi?"

"Does it ever bother you when I go out with Kaoru?" she asked carefully.

"No," Aoshi responded and then looked up at her. "Should it bother me?"

"It's just that I meet so many men when I'm out with Kaoru," Megumi said. "You're not concerned that I would run off with one of them?"

"I would be if I didn't know you would never do such a thing."

"Why not?" Megumi asked, gripping her chopsticks tightly and held back the rush of indignation.

"You were raised better than that," Aoshi answered. "You're a smart, well brought up girl. You would never sink to such atrocities."

"You believe that?" Megumi asked in a far away voice.

"I know it," Aoshi said and flicked a glance at her. "I trust you."

"You do?"

"Of course," Aoshi said, turning his attention back to his lunch. "There's no reason why I shouldn't."

_"I trust you."_

The words haunted her all afternoon. Did she deserve his trust? She had come so close to betraying that trust. She should be worthy of his trust, shouldn't she? She was his fiancée after all. Fidelity shouldn't even be an issue in the stage of their relationship. And what kind of relationship was it? Megumi found herself wondering if she truly loved Aoshi or was it just convenient for her to say that she does. And what about him? Did he really love him or was she just a trophy fiancée to turn into a trophy wife? But he trusted her. The thoughts pulled themselves round and round in her head.

All afternoon, she was distracted. It wasn't good to be distracted especially since so many patients trust doctors with their health but Megumi couldn't help herself. Her entire life, she had never been distracted but Sanosuke's face kept appearing in her mind, leering at her. It was as if he knew something she didn't and refused to tell her but will watch with twisted amusement as she tries to figure it out.

Megumi barely noticed the patient's clipboard being pushed into her hand and barely noticed herself walk to the examination room where another patient would surely be waiting.

"Hey, doc, miss me?"

At the sound of the voice, Megumi looked up with surprise. Sanosuke leaned against the examination bed with a perfectly smug look on his face as if he enjoyed playing head games with her. Megumi felt her heart rate spike at the very sight of him. There has got to be a logical explanation for the phenomenon and Megumi would have attempted to think of it had she been capable of thought at all. The sight of him clouded her mind.

"You look hung over," Sanosuke commented. "Where was the party last night?"

"I am not hung over!" Megumi argued, furrowing her brow and shutting the door before folding her arms over her chest. "What are you doing here?"

Sanosuke raised his hand. "I hit some bastard and my hand needs refixing."

"Why would you do a stupid thing like that when your hand was bruised?" Megumi glared.

"He pissed me off," he shrugged.

Megumi sighed and turned to the cabinets to pull out gauze. "You're going to get yourself killed," she complained.

"Aw, I didn't know you were worried about me," Sanosuke chuckled.

"I'm not," Megumi snapped, stalking towards him.

"You're hurtin' my feelings again," he grinned at her.

"Give me your hand," she said, snatching his hand.

"I love aggressive girls," Sanosuke chuckled, waggling his eyebrows at her.

Megumi hit him over the head. Sanosuke seemed more entertained by the show of violence.

"So you thought anymore about our little conversation last night?" Sanosuke asked, watching Megumi bandage his hand up again.

"No," she lied.

"It wasn't a rhetorical question, fox," Sanosuke told her.

"Do you realize what you're asking?" Megumi snapped. "I'm engaged, you idiot."

"I don't care if you're married," he shrugged. "The question remains."

"Why?"

"When I see something I want, I take it," Sanosuke answered. "I don't like pansy assing around."

"I'm sorry but I'll have to disappoint you."

Megumi turned to walk away but Sanosuke grabbed her waist and pulled her into him tightly. Megumi felt her chest flatten against him and her breath caught, her heart rate immediately shooting upwards.

"I'll thank you to let me go," she whispered breathlessly

"No, I like holding you," Sanosuke grinned.

"I don't know what you expect," Megumi breathed. "I can't do anything with you. I'm getting married."

"It's a long way to the altar, sweetheart," Sanosuke responded. "I'm not asking you to marry me. I just want to have a good time with you."

"You're asking me to betray my fiancé," Megumi said, trying to compel her muscles to push herself away from him. She didn't move. "I can't do that."

Sanosuke grinned broadly at her. "You already have."

"What are you talking about?"

Instead of answering, Sanosuke dove down and kissed her quickly and strongly on the lips. Megumi gasped with surprise. She raised her fists to beat him but Sanosuke intercepted her hands and held them away. Sanosuke kissed her passionately, strongly, dominantly, possessively. Megumi felt heat press in on her from all sides and she felt a sensual numbness fall on her. Without realizing it, she relaxed in his arms and allowed him to embrace her tighter. Sanosuke felt her defenses fall and deepened his kiss in response. She guided her arms to his shoulders and left them there. She was sweet and warm like honey and the scent of her filled his head.

_"I trust you."_

The words rang in Megumi's head and she pushed herself away from Sanosuke. She stared at him, horrified. She raised her fingers to touch her lips but the realization that she had kissed another man crashed down on her and she fled the room. She hurried down the hall, attempting to put as much distance between her and Sanosuke, Aoshi's voice ringing in her head.

_"I trust you. I trust you. I trust you."_


	6. Conscience

CHAPTER 6

Conscience

"_Guilt is the price we pay willingly for doing what we are going to do anyway."_

The darkness suffocated the room. The incessant ticking of the clock was deafening. The solitude was stifling. It was like this every night. The fatigue and want of sleep but sleep eluded him once again as it had for the past year. Sanosuke swung his legs over the side of the bed and sighed. He would have to move soon, he realized. It was getting too hard just living where he did. He looked over his shoulder at the empty spot on the bed next to him. He could almost see her. If he stared hard enough, he could almost make out the curve of her hip, the softness of her hand, the delicate blush on her cheeks. She was almost there.

"Sayo…"

Sanosuke reached out his hand to her. She vanished. His hand fell. Of course she wasn't there. She hadn't been there for a year.

"Damn it."

He couldn't live there anymore. It was too much, he decided as he walked out of the room into the living room. Sayo was everywhere. She was in the kitchen, washing dishes. She was in the living room, watching TV. She was in the bathroom, brushing her hair. She haunted the place. Sanosuke knew it and he let her memory persist. Perhaps in this way, he wouldn't truly have to let her go.

In the living room, a wedding photo mocked him. Sayo looked magnificent and he looked happy. It was a happiness that wasn't meant to be his. Everyone he loved in his life has gone. Everyone he gave his love to has vanished, gone up in smoke. Maybe he wasn't worthy. Maybe he deserved to be alone.

Sanosuke ran his hand over his face with a sigh. He stared at the moonlight through his bandaged fingers. Megumi… She was different from Sayo. Megumi had a fire in her, a spark. She had a sort of vivacity that in years would be snuffed out by her family and the duty and responsibility that they forced on her. He was drawn to her but he knew he should keep away. If he came closer than he already had, she would also disappear. Sanosuke didn't deserve her, didn't deserve to love her. Megumi would just cease to exist just like all the others.

* * *

"You remember Ayaka, don't you, dear?" Mayumi Takani gossiped. "She was that girl with the horrible overbite who befriended you way back when because she had a persistent crush on your brother, Minoru. Well, she is getting married next week! I, personally, am incredibly surprised," Mayumi continued. "Why, she's a waif and not at all pretty. And that overbite! You'd think her parents would get those atrocious teeth fixed! But anyway, she's getting married next week to a preschool teacher. A preschool teacher, dear! Can you imagine? Her parents were terribly upset! Getting married to a preschool teacher! Think of it!"

"Kaoru is a teacher," Megumi interjected simply.

"Kaoru is a silly thing," Mayumi went on. "I don't see her marrying well. Not at all. I don't know why you go on being friends with such a nonsensical girl. You ought to keep better company, dear. It would reflect badly on you if she chooses to marry… oh, I don't know… a nomad or someone equally ridiculous. Think of what everyone will say."

Megumi bit her tongue and allowed her mother to continue with her barrage of complaints and gossip. Mayumi was famous for her pathetic attempts at bonding with her children. Each time she planned one, it was neither pleasant nor enjoyable. If Megumi and her bothers didn't enjoy her events, which they never did, Mayumi would lapse into a tirade about thankless children and about devoting her life to the wellbeing of her children and getting nothing but thankless children. Megumi's ears rang just thinking about it. So, Megumi and her brothers had learned to indulge their mother and had learned well how to act as if they enjoyed their bonding time with their mother.

The lunch at one of Tokyo's more fashionable café's was Mayumi's idea of "girl time" with her daughter. Mayumi would gossip about the lives of her friends and their children, bemoan the state of society, remind Megumi of her reputation and duties, and send Megumi on her way. All Megumi had to do was look pleasantly interested for one hour and her mother would be satisfied. Normally, occasions such as these with her mother were just mere nuisances. It was something she would just have to endure. But that day, she had too much on her mind.

"… fiancée cheated, you know," Mayumi was saying.

"What?" Megumi asked, her heading shooting up to meet her mother's gaze.

"I was just saying how poor Kouta, one of my dear friend's son, how his fiancée cheated on him," Mayumi said and clucked her tongue. "How dishonorable."

"Maybe she felt something for the other man," Megumi argued softly.

"Nonsense," Mayumi dismissed. "The woman was engaged. The only person she should feel anything for is her husband. I swear, it's girls like that who are plunging our society into social chaos. Absolutely repugnant. That's why I'm so glad you and Aoshi are such perfect darlings."

"Nobody is perfect, Mother," Megumi said, flinching at the expectations hurled at her face.

"Nonsense," Mayumi dismissed yet again. "All our friends are exceedingly excited about your wedding, dear. It's going to be the event of the year!"

"I wish you wouldn't say such things."

"It's only the truth."

"Mother?"

"Yes, dear?" Mayumi asked, returning to her chopsticks.

"Did… did you love Daddy?" Megumi asked, tensing up.

Mayumi gave her daughter a long and searching look. "I did and I do," Mayumi confirmed. "I've never remarried because your father was the best. Nobody can ever replace him."

"So you married him because you loved him…"

"Of course," Mayumi said with a nod. "Why would you marry a man if you didn't love him? It would only lead you to adulterous acts. Poor, poor Kouta," Mayumi clucked again and gave her daughter another look, scenting blood. "Is there something I should know, Megumi?"

The question sent Megumi reeling. "No, of course not," she said in a tone that she hoped was convincing.

* * *

The Takani summer home was a sight to behold. The house itself was an impressive three story beach front abode with a patio overlooking the vast blue ocean. A lavish flower garden as well as a horse stable was housed within the estate. Megumi loved the place. There, she remembered letting loose and being free. She ran with her hair flailing in the breeze, without a care in the world. It was her empire as a child. She imagined she ruled it. She felt a light freedom when she returned to it.

But this time, wrenching shame permeated her. What had she done? She betrayed Aoshi. She betrayed his trust. She felt like a harlot. But every time she thought back to that kiss, her face would grow hot. She thought about the way his lips felt over hers, the brush of his eyelashes over hers, his hand around hers. The memory of it left Megumi breathless. Then a cold wave of shame washed down over her and her heart would twist painfully.

And Aoshi sat in front of her in the patio, sipping his tea, trusting her. Sanosuke had kissed her and she had kissed him back. The worst part, the part that she couldn't force herself to accept, was that a part of her enjoyed it. She had never felt such overwhelming passion and desire. It consumed her like a wildfire and she had never felt anything like it before. And then she would grit her teeth at the fresh wave of shame that hit her like a truck.

"It's lovely here," Aoshi commented.

"Yes," Megumi answered automatically.

"Perhaps we should settle down here," Aoshi suggested, putting the book he was reading down and closing it.

"What?" Megumi asked as if he had just told her the moon was going to eat the sun.

"It's lovely here," Aoshi repeated. "This would be a nice place to raise a family. And you've said that you do love it here in this area. We should settle down here. I could open my own practice. I've been thinking about doing just that. You'd like living here, wouldn't you, Megumi?"

The guilt pounding in her head was too much to bear. "Y-yes," she choked. "That sounds wonderful."

Megumi felt like crying. Aoshi was a good man and he would give her a good life. And what had she done for him. She had kissed another man and enjoyed it. She wanted him to be angry at her, to yell at her. But he wouldn't do any of those things. Even if he knew what she had done, he would never do it. He wasn't that kind of man. Megumi sank deeper in her shame.

"Here they are."

Aoshi and Megumi turned to find Minoru and Sanosuke walking toward them. Megumi's heart stopped when Sanosuke's eyes found hers. What was he doing here?

"Mr. Sagara has been gracious enough to help us with the legal proceedings of setting up our own hospital while we are here," Minoru informed them. He turned to Sanosuke. "I hope you can forgive our meager accomodations."

The men shared a laugh at the obvious contradiction.

"I'll manage," Sanosuke answered.

"Wonderful," Minoru said and turned to Megumi. "Megumi, lead Mr. Sagara to a guest bedroom, will you. I need to have a word with Aoshi."

Megumi met Minoru's eyes and silently pleaded him to retract his order. Minoru's stare hardened. Megumi had no choice. She stood and led Sanosuke back into the house. They walked up the stairs silently. Megumi had dread bouncing in her head. Sanosuke started whistling happily and the dread turned into annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" Megumi demanded.

"I'm your brother's lawyer," he said sarcastically. "I live to serve."

"And why did you need to stay here?" Megumi continued.

"You trying to kick me out?" Sanosuke chuckled. "That's not very hospitable of you."

Megumi seethed as she wrenched open the door to a guest room. She stalked into the room and heard Sanosuke close the door behind him.

"My family came here for vacation," Megumi said angrily. "We don't need you here."

"If you keep talking like that," Sanosuke said, crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm going to start thinking you don't like me."

"I don't," Megumi gritted her teeth.

"Our kiss proves otherwise," Sanosuke grinned.

"That was a mistake," Megumi said, hoping that someday she'll believe it as well. "It meant nothing to me. You mean nothing to me."

"Then why did you kiss me back?" Sanosuke raised a knowing eyebrow.

Megumi opened her mouth for a comeback but no words came out. She could find no excuse for herself. She could find nothing to exonerate her. Cold shame washed over her again and her face contorted to show the guilt that her face. Why did she kiss him back? Why is it that every time she saw him, her heart would start racing. Why did his eyes melt her soul? Why did his smile take her breath away? Nothing made sense. Megumi felt herself being pulled toward Sanosuke and no matter how hard she tried to pull away, he would lure her back in.

"Let me ask you again, doc," Sanosuke said. "Do you love your fiancé?"

"O-of course, I do," Megumi said shakily. "What a ridiculous question."

"You better be sure of it," Sanosuke warned. "Because after you get married, that's it. There's no going back. Is he the person you want to see every morning and the person you want to come home to every night?" He was looming over now. "Did you regret kissing me?"

"Yes," Megumi answered breathily. "Did you?"

"I don't regret any of it," Sanosuke said.

"Have you no sense of decency?" Megumi hissed. "Why did you do it?"

"Because I like you."


	7. No Turning Back

CHAPTER 7

No Turning Back

"_Each betrayal begins with trust."_

Megumi watched Sanosuke eat and laugh with her brothers, getting more and more irritated by the minute. Just who did he think he is? How dare he look comfortable and at home when he was plaguing her mind with misery and woe? He looked over at her with a twinkle in his eye and Megumi glared down at her salad. Jerk.

"Mr. Sagara is very charming, isn't he, dear?" Mayumi, her mother, commented next to her.

My ass, Megumi thought, irritated.

"He was once married, you know," Mayumi went on.

Megumi's head shot upwards. "How do you know that?" she asked.

"I don't reveal my sources," Mayumi said slyly.

Gossip, Megumi noted. "What did these sources say exactly?"

"He was apparently married to a woman named Sayo," Mayumi said conspiratorially. "She was apparently a very pleasant woman. A pillar in the community. She was as devout Christian, you know. Did quite a vast amount of volunteer work as well as volunteered at numerous churches. A saint of a woman."

"What happened?" Megumi asked, flicking a gaze at Sanosuke who was talking to her brothers genially.

"She apparently died of tuberculosis, the poor woman," Mayumi said and sighed theatrically. "Poor Mr. Sagara. He must be so lonely. That's why I insisted he come to our little outing, you know."

"Yes…" Megumi whispered.

He used to be married. He used to be married to someone who was "a saint of a woman." This man? Sanosuke Sagara? What was it that his late wife loved about him? Was it the conspiratorial glint in his eyes? Was it the devil may care grin on his face? Was it his voice that sounded like melted honey? Or was it something else? Is there something about Sanosuke that Megumi has yet to see? Of course there was, Megumi chided herself. They had only known each other some odd weeks, of course. Of course there are parts of himself he wouldn't let her see. Why should he? By all accounts, she was nothing more than one of his clients. But he had said he liked her. What did he mean by that? Should she just take it at face value? Just because he liked her doesn't mean that he should act on it. She was an engaged woman. He knows that all too well. He couldn't be so idiotic that he'd ignore that fact.

Was he lonely? Megumi felt her heart twist at the thought. Did he spend his nights howling at the moon, lonely and desolate, pining for the woman he promised to spend the rest of his life with? Did his eyes fill with sadness every time he thought of his wife? Did he long for someone to hold him? Megumi's heart twisted again as she thought these things. He needed someone, she thought. But that person can't very well be her.

Megumi dragged her eyes away from Sanosuke. She was an engaged woman. Whether Sanosuke was in need of female attention was not her business. She shouldn't care. She shouldn't let it affect her. But as her eyes wandered back to Sanosuke, she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking, how he was feeling.

* * *

Megumi rubbed her neck gingerly as she made her way back from the kitchen in the middle of the night. The house was dark and she felt around for the stairs. Because Sanosuke had come to stay, she and Aoshi had to share a room. It was something that they hadn't done before and Megumi was deeply worried something inappropriate might happen. But as it turned out, Aoshi had spent the better part of the night holed up in the library and didn't come up to the room until Megumi was well asleep. When Megumi woke to get a glass of water, Aoshi was already sleeping soundly on his side of the bed.

In a way, Megumi was thankful she didn't have to deal with the terribly awkward situation but she couldn't help but be worried. As she climbed the stairs to go back to her room, she thought it should have felt natural to share a room with Aoshi. It should have been exhilarating. But it was merely uncomfortable. Megumi stopped at the top of the stairs and looked over at the door to her room where he was sleeping. She sighed. She shouldn't dread going in there. Aoshi was a nice man but being with him elicited no sexual tension. It was uncomfortable. Megumi should have felt her heartbeat quicken when she saw him lying beside her but all she felt was an overwhelming sense of wanting to escape.

"Can't sleep?"

Megumi turned around. Sanosuke was watching her with a smirk on his face. Megumi blinked at him.

"Anything I can help you with?" he asked, an unholy glint in his eyes.

Megumi glared at him. "Are you serious?" she asked. "You're going to try that when you're less than thirty feet away from my fiancé."

He shrugged. "He's asleep. Plus," he added, "won't it be kinkier that way?"

Megumi pushed him away from her. "You're disgusting."

"I don't hear a no," Sanosuke told her.

"What are you doing up anyway?" Megumi barked.

"Howling at the moon," Sanosuke said too seriously for Megumi's liking. "I don't sleep much."

"Why?" she asked, wondering if he'll tell her anything close to the truth.

He grinned at her. "Don't go picking through my braid, sweetheart," he told her. "You might not like what you find."

"What do you mean?" Megumi asked, half wishing she hadn't asked.

"Let's just say there are skeletons in the closet that oughta stay there," he said, looking away from her. "I don't have to tell you about skeletons, do I, doc?"

Megumi inwardly flinched. "What are you talking about?"

"My family wasn't very rich. We had problems. I thought all of it could be solved if we had more money," Sanosuke gave her a look. "That's not true at all, is it, doc?"

Megumi stole a look at him. His eyes were glittering in the dark. "No, it's not," she said quietly.

Sanosuke walked toward her silently, meeting her eyes as she raised them to look at him. He stood close to her, one breath away from her face. Megumi refused to be intimidated and stared up at him defiantly. The air between them crackled with electricity.

"Have you thought more about my offer?"

"It wasn't an offer you should've made," Megumi responded tightly. "I can't betray Aoshi. I don't know why you keep attempting to make me."

"I see what I want and I take it, doc," Sano responded. "Life's too short to bullshit around."

"You're sick," Megumi argued.

Sanosuke shrugged. "I don't deny it," he said. "But at least I own up to what I feel."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded hotly.

He gave her an intense look. "Don't stand there and defame my character when we both know you already feel something for me."

Megumi was about to reply when the door to her bedroom opened suddenly. Megumi turned to see Aoshi staring at them from the doorway.

"Is everything alright?" Aoshi asked.

"Miss Megumi and I just met on the stairs," Sanosuke answered from the top of the stairs. When did he move over there? "It seems she couldn't sleep either."

"Is something wrong, Megumi?" Aoshi asked scrutinizing her face closely.

"I'm fine," she said, trying to hide the flush in her cheeks.

"I leave you in your fiancé's capable hands," Sanosuke said charmingly. "Good night."

With that, he descended the stairs. Megumi followed him with her eyes. What the hell did he mean?

"…_we both know you already feel something for me."_

He was insane. Why would Megumi feel anything for him? They just met. And they had spent the small amount of time knowing each other arguing and insulting one another. The only thing Megumi felt for him was disgust. But still, as he stepped close to her, she couldn't ignore the beating of her own heart and the warmth that bloomed beneath her skin. The man's mere look gave her chills. She didn't want to think about what his touch would do to her. She felt herself begin to blush again but stamped down on the feelings. She felt nothing for Sanosuke Sagara. Nothing.

"Megumi," Aoshi said, yanking her out of her reverie, "are you coming in?"

"Yes," she said, not raising her eyes to meet his.

As the door closed, Sanosuke frowned in the darkness. He was a bastard and he knew it. But something about Megumi Takani called out to him, enticed him. He would have preferred to regard her as just another client. But there was electricity about her that he could not deny. She pulled him toward her and he had no doubt that she didn't even know it. Though it made him a bastard, he couldn't walk away. He was going to hell anyway.

* * *

Megumi sipped her coffee, watching the rain fall. Her mother had locked herself in her room and was getting a shiatsu massage and listening to music from her youth and talking about how different everything is and regaling stories of her teenage years to her masseuse who had a terribly pained expression on her face. Megumi stayed away. If she ventured near there, her mother would never let her go and her entire morning would have been wasted.

Not that I'm doing anything of value here, Megumi thought to herself as she glanced over at Aoshi and her brothers. They were having coffee and sitting with Sanosuke, talking about business. Megumi glared at Sanosuke for a moment. He didn't mention their conversation in the hallway anymore to her and acted as if none of it happened. Aoshi had suspected no foul play. Why should he? He trusted Megumi absolutely. Besides, Megumi reasoned, it wasn't as if they were doing something they shouldn't have been doing in that hallway.

It was merely the fact that Sanosuke was acting as if nothing happened that irritated Megumi. He smiled and greeted her good morning cheerily as if he didn't spend the previous day insinuating that Megumi should cheat on Aoshi. He engaged in small talk as if he didn't tell Megumi to her face that he believed she felt something for him. Megumi stewed in her anger. Irritating man, she thought. She put her coffee cup down and started to stomp away toward the door. The men all looked up at her.

"Where are you going?" Aoshi questioned.

"The stables," Megumi said shortly, pulling out an umbrella from a nearby closet.

"It's pouring out," Mitsuo said, his forehead creasing.

"It's only rain," Megumi said, undeterred.

"There are stables here?" Sanosuke asked with wonder.

"Oh, yes," Mitsuo responded. "Mother is quite fond of thoroughbred horses. We each have our own."

"I'd love to see them," Sanosuke said brightly. "I've always been fond of horses as a child."

"I'm sure it would be Megumi's pleasure to show them to you," Minoru said, giving Megumi a look.

"But I thought you had important business to discuss," Megumi argued.

"We need to discuss hospital matters," Aoshi said. "I'd expect Mr. Sagara to be terribly lost."

"Take him to the stables, Megumi," Minoru said. "We wouldn't be very good hosts if we let our guest get bored."

"Go ahead, Megumi," Aoshi said. "It should be entertaining."

* * *

"These horses are great!" Sanosuke said, stroking one of the horses. "I can't believe you each have one."

Megumi brushed her horse, trying vainly to block out his voice. Coming to see the horses was a sort of escape for her. A way to enjoy herself without having to worry about her mother's rules or her brother's righteous sense of obligation. There, she could think and feel a sense of peace.

Now, she received neither with Sanosuke talking away and flitting from place to place, cooing at the horses.

"What's supposed to be in here?" Sanosuke asked, looking into an empty stall.

"Nothing," Megumi said shortly. "It's an empty stall."

Sanosuke gave her an unholy look. "Did you ever sneak a quickie with one of your boyfriends here?"

"You're revolting."

"And you're mad at me," he stated plainly, walking toward her.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're a terrible liar," Sanosuke smirked. "You've glared at me all morning. If looks could kill, I'd be dead."

"And you've acted like nothing happened," Megumi snapped. "Should I be happy that you have a split personality?"

"I was under the impression that you wouldn't want to make it obvious to your family and fiancé that you are harboring tender feelings for the lawyer they hired."

"I am _not_ harboring any feelings of the sort."

Sanosuke tucked a finger under her chin and turned her head towards him. "Ah, that would be a lie," he grinned at her.

His fingers skimmed up the side of her face, not taking his eyes off hers for a second. Megumi's heart began beating faster and faster as a rush of tumultuous warmth exploded from her chest and rocketed through her body. Sanosuke tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes softening considerably as he looked down at her. Megumi caught the change and was even more entranced.

Without saying a word, Sanosuke leaned down swiftly and placed a soft kiss on her lips. This time, Megumi dropped the brush she was holding, put her arms around his neck, and pulled him towards her.


	8. The Morning After

CHAPTER 8

The Morning After

"_A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."_

Megumi reluctantly opened her eyes. The bedroom was simple. The bed she was lying in was simple. The work table near the window was simple. The window letting the sunshine in was simple. If only what had happened in this bedroom for the past week had been as simple.

Slowly, she turned her head to the left and gazed at Sanosuke's sleeping face. Instantly, she froze as if realizing for the first time the gravity of what she had been doing with him for the past week. Her face turned cold and her throat tightened as guilt swirled around her, choking her tightly. Making as little noise as possible, she slipped out of bed, grabbing her clothes as she went. As she pulled on her coat, she looked back over her shoulder at Sanosuke's sleeping form.

"_I'm a monster," _she thought to herself. How could she stomach doing this? How could she stomach having an affair? How could she betray the trust of the man that loves her? How could she have done so again and again for the past week? The guilt pounded at her. She hastily wiped away the tear that rolled down her cheek and tightened the knot of her coat. As she crept out of the room, feelings of shame and inadequacies ripped her apart.

Megumi felt so guilty, she wanted to scream. She wanted to tear her hair out and run screaming down the street. But the knowledge that this act would not solve anything pained her more. She felt as if she was cornered. She felt as if the walls of her world were threatening to engulf her. She felt the silence of Sanosuke's apartment was deafening, each silent second accusing her angrily with high screeching snarls. She felt as if the eyes on the pictures on his shelves were glaring at her. The eyes of his former wife, Sayo, turned dark red, staring at her with the anger of someone who had been cheated. The smiles in the photos mocked her. Megumi could almost hear their ringing laughter, their joyful laughter drowning her. She covered her ears in an attempt to stifle the noise pounding at her head.

"Stop it," she mumbled through gritted teeth.

Silence. Megumi listened to her own ragged breathing, waiting for the pounding in her head to subside. Megumi jumped as she heard her cell phone ring. She dug it quickly out of her pocket before the noise could wake Sanosuke. It was Kaoru.

"Hello?" Megumi whispered into the phone.

"Megumi, where the hell are you?"

"What are you talking about?" Megumi asked even more quietly after hearing Sanosuke shift in his sleep.

"I was supposed to come with you to try on wedding dresses, remember?" Kaoru quipped loudly. "I've been waiting here for an hour! Where the hell are you?"

Megumi immediately made a bee line for the front door. "I'm so sorry," she said quickly. "I completely forgot. I'm heading over there right now."

"What do you mean 'you forgot'?" Kaoru scolded. "How could a bride forget about the day she's trying on dresses? What is wrong with you?"

"Okay, okay, stop yelling," Megumi said, closing the door behind her. "I'm coming over."

* * *

"What about this one, Megumi?" Kaoru asked.

Megumi stared at herself in the mirror. It seemed like a terrible lie. She stared at herself in the mirror wearing a pristinely white wedding gown, its sequins and beading glittering through the sunlight that came in like a wash from the window. But it was a lie. She shouldn't be allowed to wear something that symbolized purity and innocence when she was none of these things. She looked immaculate in the mirror but all she could think about was the shame in what she had done and the pain she felt in thinking about what Aoshi would say.

"Megumi!"

Megumi's head snapped toward Kaoru. "What?" she asked.

"What about this dress?" Kaoru said, her forehead creasing as she began to worry. "You like it?"

"No…"

Megumi noticed the wedding dress consultant's face tighten with slight irritation. Kaoru sighed and turned to the woman.

"Could you give us a moment?"

The consultant nodded and stormed off towards the group of other consultants probably going to complain about Megumi being one of those uppity bridezillas. Megumi sighed and stepped down from the platform and sat, putting her head in her hands. What the hell was she doing? She didn't feel like a bride to be in the dress she was wearing. She felt like she was wearing a Halloween costume, felt like she was going to a masquerade ball. I'm a fraud, Megumi thought, I'm a monster.

Kaoru sat next to her, a look of pure concern on her face. She put her hand on Megumi's arm and watched as she visibly jumped and looked at her with troubled eyes.

"Meg, what is going on?" Kaoru asked worriedly. "You're not acting like yourself. Is it cold feet? Did you and Aoshi have a fight?"

"No," Megumi shook her head. "But I expect we will soon."

"What?" Kaoru spoke. "Why?"

"I've done a terrible thing, Kaoru," Megumi sighed and rubbed her hands over her face. "Aoshi is going to explode."

"What did you do?"

"The worst thing I could do to someone," Megumi whispered and turned her glistening eyes to Kaoru. "I'm having an affair."

Kaoru jumped up to her feet in shock. Megumi buried her face in her hands again as Kaoru looked at her as if she was a foreign object, someone she's never met before.

"Megumi, no," Kaoru said in disbelief. "You can't possibly. That's not like you."

"I know," she answered in a pained voice. "I don't know what to do, Kaoru. I have to end this but I don't know how to. What do I do?"

"With who?" Kaoru questioned. "Who are you having an affair with?"

"You're going to think it's bad," Megumi sighed.

"I already think it's pretty bad if you want to know the truth," Kaoru said with a frown.

Megumi gave her a wary look. "I'm… with… with Sanosuke Sagara."

Kaoru's jaw literally dropped. "Are you serious?"

"Don't yell," Megumi begged. "I feel bad enough as it is."

Kaoru reigned in her shock and sat next to Megumi once more. She pulled her into a tight hug.

"Why did you feel you had to do this, Megumi?" Kaoru asked. "Why?"

"I know Aoshi loves me, he told me so," Megumi whispered. "But I don't feel it. I don't see it in his eyes. I don't hear it in his words. I can't feel what he feels for me. It makes me doubt that he ever feels anything at all. And Sanosuke is so full of life, so passionate. I wanted to be near someone warm and alive for once, not someone cold and sterile."

"Well, who do you want a life with?" Kaoru asked. "Do you want to be with Aoshi or do you want to try being with Sanosuke."

"A relationship with Sanosuke would be a relationship built on nothing but physical attraction," Megumi spoke. "It wouldn't be a good idea. I knew it from the beginning but I just can't… can't…"

"Megumi," Kaoru said seriously. "I'm not going to lie to you. This is an awful thing you've done. I thought you knew better. But you're never going to get past this guilt if you aren't honest with yourself and the people around you. You did this knowing full well what the consequences will be and now you have to face them."

The words hit Megumi like a ton of bricks. She didn't expect Kaoru to berate her. She wasn't exactly a mature pillar of strength. And just the fact that Kaoru thought it was necessary to lecture her made Megumi feel worse about the crime she had committed.

"You're not exactly making me feel better, Kaoru."

"I know you're a good person, Meg," Kaoru went on in a softer tone. "You help everyone around you. You're a good person. But everyone makes mistakes. You have to be honest about them. Otherwise, your mistakes are just going to get bigger and bigger."

"What do you think I should do?"

"Don't hide it from Aoshi. It'll be worse if you do. And Megumi," Kaoru said her eyes narrowing seriously, "stop seeing Sanosuke."

* * *

Megumi stepped into Aoshi's office apprehensively. The office was dark save for the study lamp blaring through the darkness, throwing light onto the paperwork that littered Aoshi's desk. Aoshi's laptop showed multiple screens of patient cases. Aoshi himself looked like a mad man as he scribbled on the doctor's reports.

"Aoshi-ˮ

"You shouldn't have come all the way here, Megumi," he said vacantly. "I'll be here until late tonight."

"I actually wanted to-ˮ

"Look at all this paperwork!" Aoshi sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "I can't take a break right now Megumi. I have to do this."

"I know but I really need to-ˮ

"And after this, I have to visit those patients to see how they're doing," Aoshi continued. "I can't chat, Megumi. You should just go home. I have a lot to do here."

"But Aoshi, I just-ˮ

"Megumi!" Aoshi hissed, bringing his tired, cold eyes up to stare at her. "I have no time for whatever it is you think you need right now! Go home!"

His words cut through her as silence drifted back and choked her. She watched him lean his head over his work, writing furiously, whipping papers aside, and grabbing new ones. He didn't have time for her. Not even enough time to hear out her confession and apology. Without another word, she turned and left the room. She only made a few feet into the darkened hospital hallway before succumbing to her tears and leaning down the side of a wall and sinking to a sitting position. What was she supposed to do? He didn't want to hear her, didn't want to listen to her. Where was she going to go now? What was she going to do? What did she have to do to make him listen to her? What did she have to do to get him to look at her with passion, with longing in his eyes like… like someone did…

* * *

Sanosuke placed a glass of scotch in front of Megumi. She had come to his doorstep, quiet, her eyes vacant, and an eerie stillness about her. She sat in his living room, looking out at the moon outside the window with poignant sadness in her eyes. Megumi ignored the scotch and seemed to ignore Sanosuke as well. He brought his glass of scotch to his lips, studying her with a frown. Then why did she come here in the first place?

"You and Aoshi had a fight?" Sanosuke questioned.

"No…" Megumi breathed. "Not a fight exactly. I was bothering him while he was working so he sent me away."

Sanosuke's frown deepened. Her tone was vacant but he sensed that she was more upset about that than she was letting on. He abandoned his glass of scotch and sat on the coffee table in front of her. The moon cast shadows on her face, making her look far sadder than Sanosuke could tolerate.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

Tears fell from Megumi's face as he asked the question. "He never asks me about anything like you just did," she said, fighting to keep her voice from fraying as she spoke. "He doesn't want to know anything. He doesn't ask. He doesn't care."

"Megumi…"

"But I still shouldn't have done this," she said, turning her face to him. "I shouldn't have done this with you. It doesn't matter the reason. This is wrong. You know it."

Sanosuke sighed and got up, scratching the back of his head and looking away. "Ahh, I don't need this," Sanosuke said with a sigh. "This is gonna be more trouble than it's worth."

Megumi squeezed her eyes shut and looked away as Sanosuke picked up his glass of scotch again and downed it, relishing the burning sensation it left his throat.

"But I already told you, sweetheart,"Sanosuke continued. "I want what I want. I don't give a rat's ass if it's right or wrong."

"Don't you feel terrible at all?" Megumi questioned. "You know this is wrong! You know we shouldn't be doing this! You know it'll all come to shit!"

"Let it," Sanosuke shrugged. "Life's too short not to do whatever the hell you want."

"You can't really think that. You can't just do what you want and not give a damn about anyone else," Megumi told him, turning her burning eyes toward him. "Somewhere inside you, you have to think this is crazy, that this is a mistake."

"There is no such thing as a mistake," Sanosuke told her, his eyes gleaming in the pale light. "There's only what you do and what you don't do."

Megumi stared at him, unable to believe his pig headedness, his self-conceit. "This has got to end eventually, Sanosuke," she said. "You know nothing can come of this."

"Sure, I know it'll end, sugar," he said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into him. "But it sure as hell ain't ending tonight."

* * *

_So... yes, I haven't updated in forever. And yes, I've gotten the PMs complaining to me about it. I'm so sorry! I swear I'll finish this story. It just might take me a while._

_-EverFLIE_


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